Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-10-15
NEW USE FOR BELLS.
How = Restaurant Manager ObsiAtes the
Old System of Bawiing Out Orders.

now Hestaurant Manager obNiAtss rms
| Old System of B.wiing Out Orders.
where's my ham and eggs" impa,
tiently asked a man Of the waiter III q
Clark street restaurant the other day
"rhey's ccmin sab. thcy's con!in. "
But didn't hear You give the order. -
NO, sab: we doan give no or,lahs; We
touch de bells -
/ I've got n new scheme" said the man
| aGer. who had oye heard the conversation.
/ Il don't know how it is with You, but II
takes away my appetite to go into a res
/ taurant where the waiter, when he gets
an order. bawls IL out st the top If his
voice. Now, in some places after order
| ing just what you did here you'd hear the
waiter shout, 'one in the dark. white
wings, hog To come along and If you
told him that You wanted the eggs cooked
on both sides. he'd sing out. 'shIpwreck
them white wings OF course the cook
understands that ham ard eggs ami cup
of coffee are the articles called for by this
order. but 10 the unnitiated il is all
Greek. Walters slang is the most COM
pleN jarron ever used, and why ti.ey use
it they are unable to explain themselves
Now. b., my system all the noise ana cou
fusion are done away with. Iau never
hear any order given, and the waters are
not Obliged 10 leave the dining room.
But come with me and I'll show yoa"
The manager led the way tO8 Ia Ole near
the center Of the room Upon it we're
about twenty white buttons. and At the
base Of each WAS a label. Every button
was capable of Transmitting several or
ders. For instance one Of the button.
was labeled eggs" and upon a card were
the following directions: "Tor boile,, eggs.
ring once; eggs on toast, twice; scrambled
eggs. three times; omelct, four tines
Ii was the same with steaks, As by Q
different number Of rings the distinction
between .enderloin, porterhouse and sir
loin. rare, medium or well done could I've
conveyed to the kitchen with a. Uuch &C
curacy and with more speed than by the
voice.
We'll 60 down to the kitchen and ses
how that end Of il works" remarked the
manager, leading the way TO q flight OF
stairs. 4 savory smell Of cooking meat
WAS waited 10 the visitor AS he descended
the stairs. In front of half . dozen biG
broilers stood As many white jacketej
cooks, with equally white caps placed
rakishly upon their heads The manager
said that the caps were not worn for
a'lornment, but to prevent hairs and
dandruff from falling into the food II
don't know why it is" said he. but con
stant working near fire seems To have
tendency To cause the hair to drop out
OF course that would never do, so we
oblige the men to wear linen head gear
in order To prevent any mishaps. Then,
too, il looks cleaner, and in q restaurant
looks are everything
Opposite the ranges, surrounded by a
little railing. was an annunciator re
semblinS those used in hotels to denote
the numbers of rooms. In front Of 1t was
seated a lad about Is years OF age with a
number Of tickets in his hand Each
ticket had a number printed upol It cor
responding to the number given one Of
the cooks. These were called of in rota-
tiOn. 50 that each one Of the cooks would
get the same number Of dishes to serve.
there was whirrinG souIh,
followed By quick snap. The boy looked
up and saw the word steak" on q tri-
angular piece Of metal. Then came two
short rings and long one. The boy
looked at a card and called: mo. 3. ten
derloin steak rare, with mushrooms.
The triangular piece Of metal was put
back in its place, and in n trice Juicy
steak was sizzling on the iron. Itw4s
getting along toward 6 O'Clock then. and
the orders began to come in thick and fast
I'VE don't serve anything here but
short orders" said the manager, ''and,
though ] have over fifty articles on my
bill Of fare. have never found one that
could not be ordered by means OF the bell.
| don't believe there's another system
like il in the country, and You can see for
yourself how much time and trouble it
saves. Chicago Herald.